Truss



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. E. WHEELER. TRUSS.

N0.444,899. J Patented Jan. 20, 1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. E. WILIBIVILER.

TRUSS.

No` 444,899. Patented Jan. 20'; 189l llNiTEn STATES PATENT Erica.

T Russ.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.` 444,899, dated January 20, 1891.

Application tiled September 3, 1890. Serial No. 363,806. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that 1, 'lALToN E. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Garrard and State of Kentucky, have invented Jcertain new and useful Improvements in Trusses; and I do hereby deciare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

. Myin vention relates generally to trusses for hernia, and particularly to that class thereof in whichare employed belts, under straps,v

one or more pads for engaging the adected parts of the wearer, and in which provision is made for the employment of suspensory straps 5 and it consists in the peculiarities of construction and arrangement or combination of parts hereinafter-fully disclosed in the description, drawings, and claims.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a novel and improved belt for trusses; second, to provide improved means for the adjustment of a pad or pads horizontally and vertically; third, to provide an improved pad and means for adjusting the same upon its own base or support; fourth, to provide a truss with improved devices for rendering it readily convertible for use in connection with a single or double rupture, and with means which may or may not be used for supporting a suspensory, and, iifth, to provide other novel constructionsand arrangements of parts and features which are accessorial to the attainment of these results. These objects l accomplish by the improved truss illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichthe same reference-numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts, and in which- Figure 1 represents a front perspective view of my improved truss provided with two pads for double rupture and in the condition it appears when ready for use; Fig. 2, a rear perspective view of the same provided with one pad for single rupture, the ends of the two parts or sections of the belt being disconnected 5 Fig. 3, a front perspective detail view of one of the pads attached to its base or support, showing the set-screws and curved slots by which they are adj ustably connected;

and Fig. 4, a vertical section of the same, showing the metal plug or core in a recess formed in the pad, the plate attached to said core, and the base or support for the same.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the belt, which is preferably made of leather and in two parts or sections, 2 indicating the front and 3 the rear section, the latter being provided with the` narrow straps 4: near its ends, and the former with the buckles 5 for holding said straps in the different positions to which they may be adj usted. The rear section is provided with the cushion 6, which is sewed thereto and. extended from end to end thereof, while the front section is provided at its ends with the pads 7, which are connected at the upper corners of theirinner ends by the narrow cushioned strip 8. The belt is thus not only padded entirely around its inner surface, but is overlapped, and thus doubly cushioned at the ends of its sections at the points where the comfort of the wearer requires gentle pressure from the belt.

Upon the outerside of the front section 2 of the leather belt 1 is riveted or otherwise suitably secured, the metallic supporting-plate 9, which extends nearly the full length of said section, and is formed with the solid middle and end portions 10 and with the two separate liorizontally-arranged series of slots 11, l2, and 13, which register or are coincident with a corresponding series of slots 11,12, and 13 formed in the leather of said section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The pads 14 are secured to the pad-supports 15, which are formed at their upper ends with holes into and from which the setscrews 1G can be inserted and removed. These set-screws can-be passed through either of the horizontal slots 11 and 12 in the supporting-plate 9 for effecting the vertical adjustment of said pads; also, said screws can be slid lengthwise of said slots and tightened in any desired position for effecting the horizontal adjustment and holding of the pads, the result being that said pads can be adjusted into positions coinciding with the affected parts of the wearer of the truss.

Each pad 14 is recessed in its flat outersurface for receiving a core or plug 17, of brass or other suitable soft metal, which may be atlOO tached to or formed integrally with the plate 1S, which is of thesame size as the-ou'tersurface ot` said pad and is placed against the inner face of the pad-support15, which is composed of the thick piece or block of leather 1f), and the metallic plate 20, which is riveted to the front or outer face of the leather and is of the same size. In and through this block of leather and metallic plate are formed the curved slots 21, through which are passed the set-screws 22, that are seated at their inner ends in the soft-metal core or plug 17 ot the pad. By means of these curved slots and set-screws the pad and its plate 18 can be raised and lowered, and also turned laterally in the arc of a circle in either direction, which, in connection with the vertical and horizontal adjustments that are capable of being effected by means of the setscrews 16 and the slots 11, 12, and 13 in the supporting-plate 9, permits of the adjustment of said pad universally, or in all directions, so as to bring it into alignment with anypart or point affected by hernia.

At the lower ends of the pad-supports 15 are pivoted the loops 23, to w-hich are attached the front ends of the under straps 24, the rear ends thereof being adjustably connected, so as to be lengthened and shortened, to the movable buckles 25, which engage with or are carried by thek horizontal slots 26, formed in the plates 27 ,which are secured to the outside of the rear section 3 of the belt at points which will be over or near the hips of the wearer of the truss.

single truss by the omission or removal of one' of said pads, as shown in Fig. 2, and also. of all of its support 15, except the block of leather 19 and the pivoted loop 23 at thelower end thereof, to which the front end of onel of the under straps 24 is attached for assisting.

in properly holding the truss upon the body of the wearer and in regulating its pressure. The main part of this pressure is regulated by tightening or loosening the two-part belt 1 by means of the straps 4 and thebuckles 5;

but the adjustment of the under straps canv made to greatly aid in this result. The adjustment of the pads permits them to be` raised and lowered, and also turned laterally in the arcs of circles upon their supports' 15, which, in connection with the vertical and horizontal adjustments of the latter, allows either pad to be so placed as to be opposite the hernial break or rupture. The only purpose of the lower slots 13 in the supportingplate 9 is to carry the laterally-adjustable and removable hooks or loops28 for attaching the straps 29 of a suspensory, if the latter be employed. v

Having thus fully described the construction and arrangement or combination of the several parts-of myinvention, its capabilities, advantages, and manner of use, what I claim as new is- 1. In a truss, a two-part belt 1, composed of the front and rear sections 2 and 3, the straps and buckles 4 and 5, arranged at or near the ends thereof, the cushion 6, secured to said rear section and extending from end to end thereof, the pads 7, secured to the ends of said front section and arranged to overlap the ends of said rear cushioned section, and the narrow cushioned strip 8, connecting said pads, substantially as described.

2. In a truss, the combination, with the belt and the supporting-plate secured theretoand formed each with a series of horizontally-arranged registering slots, of the pad-supports, means for vertically and horizontally-adjusting them Aupon said slotted beltandplate', the pads, and means for adjusting the same vertically and in the arcs of circles upon said supports, substantially as described.

3. In a truss, thev combination, with the belt and the supporting-plate secured thereto and formed each with a series of horizontally-arranged registering slots, of the pad-supports, means for vertically and horizontally adjusting them upon said'slotted belt and plate, the pads, and means for adjusting the same vertically and in the arcs of circles upon said supports, said means consisting, respectively,

Aof the set-screws in the upper ends of said supports and the curved slots and set-screws in the front or outer faces thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a truss, the combination, with-the belt and the supporting-plate secured thereto and formed with a series of horizontal slots, of the pad-supports provided with loops attheir lower ends, the slotted plates secured to the rear part of said belt, the movable buckles connected to said slotted plates, and the under straps attached to said loops and buckles, substantially as described.

5. A pad for trusses, which is formed with a recess in its front or outer side, which is filled witha core or plug of brass orvother soft metal, which is provided with a plateofthe same size as the outer side of said pad, in combination with apad-support composed of a block of'leather and ametallic plate secured to the outer face thereof, both being formed with registering curvedl slots'and setsc'rews passing through said slots and into said core or plug of soft metal, substantially as described.

6. In a truss, the combination, with the belty IOO rear part of said belt, the movable buckles connected to said slotted plates, the laterally adjustable and removable hoops or loops connected to said plate, and the straps for supporting a suspensory, substantially as described.

7. In a truss, the combination, with the belt and the supporting-plate secured thereto and formed with a series of horizontal slots and solid middle and end portions, of the vertically and horizontally adjustable pads, the pad-supports provided with loops at their lower ends, the slotted plates secured to the l rear part of said belt, the movable buckles connected to said slotted plates, the under straps attached to said loops and buckles, the laterally adjustable and removable hooks or loops connected to said plate, and the straps for supporting a suspensory, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

TALTON E. IVHEELER. Vitnesses:

W. H. SEBASTIAN, JOHN P. TURNER. 

